KR20000007509U - Air handling system for automotive vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air treatment device for an air conditioner of an automobile. The air treatment device has a housing defining an air passage. The air treatment device has a blower disposed in the housing and an evaporator disposed in the housing to cool the air passing through the blower. The heater core is also disposed in the housing downstream from the evaporator to heat the air passing therethrough. The air treatment device also includes a temperature mixing door device having a first temperature mixing door disposed in a bypass passage defined between the evaporator and the air outlet of the housing. The first temperature mixing door can pivot about the central axis from the closed position to the open position. The shoulder sealably engages with the first end of the first mixing door when the mixing door is in the fully closed position and adjusts the flow rate of air passed to the first end when the first temperature mixing door pivots toward the fully open position. It is formed within. The second mixing door is arranged in the passage between the heater core and the evaporator. The first and second temperature mixing doors move in co-ordinated motion in some manner.

Description

Automotive Air Handling Unit {AIR HANDLING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES}

The present invention generally relates to an air treatment apparatus in an automobile. In particular, the present invention relates to a centrally mounted air treatment device having a new configuration of a temperature controlled blend door with a coordinated movement.

Many different types of air treatment devices are well known in the automotive art. The most well known air treatment devices typically include a housing having a centrifugal blower that draws in fresh or recycled air to exhaust the exhaust air through the housing of the device. Within the apparatus a pair of heat exchangers are arranged, one for cooling the air exiting the centrifugal blower and the other for heating the air exiting from the centrifugal blower. A mixing door arrangement is provided at key points in the housing to regulate the amount of air through one or both of the heat exchangers to provide air conditioned into the interior passenger compartment of the vehicle. Typically, the motorist adjusts the thermostat knob in the interior of the vehicle to a predetermined setting that causes movement of the thermostatic mixing door to a predetermined position. The location of this thermostatic mixing door is chosen to provide the appropriate amount of cooling and heating air for the passenger's desired temperature.

In order to provide dual temperature devices and dual temperature and mode devices, various technical improvements have been proposed in known types of air treatment devices. In this type of device, different temperatures may be provided in different areas of the vehicle interior. Moreover, harmonized air can be delivered from different outlets in the passenger compartment to heat at the floor and defrost at the windshield. U. S. Patent No. 5,673, 964, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a unique air treatment device that is generally mounted along the centerline of a vehicle and can be used for either a right handle car or a left handle car. To have this type of adaptability, the air treatment unit requires that the heat exchangers be located very close to each other. Due to the small packaging nature of these devices, the piping length from the exit of the air treatment device to the interior passenger compartment of the vehicle is very short. Such short passages may not provide sufficient volume for proper mixing of the air in the device to provide the appropriate temperature desired by the automobile passenger. For example, more air can pass through the evaporator around the mixing door than is needed for the selected temperature. This may cause incorrect temperature harmonized air to be discharged from the outlet register of the air treatment device. Therefore, it is useful to provide an air treatment device that solves the problems of the prior art in terms of the volume used for the proper mixing of cold and hot air while enabling a small unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a centrally mounted air treatment device with a temperature mixing door device that provides adequate mixing of cold and hot air to ensure accurate exhaust temperature of the air from the thermostat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mixed door arrangement having co-ordinated movement to provide the correct exhaust temperature air required by the automobile passenger.

1 is a perspective view of a centrally mounted air treatment device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 of FIG.

3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of an air treatment device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a curve diagram of one adjustment method used in the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: air conditioner

12: housing

20: air inlet

22; Air outlet

26: blower

28: evaporator

30: heater core

32, 42, 44: temperature mixing door

50: electric motor

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an air treatment device for an automotive air conditioner. The air treatment device includes an upper side, a lower side, and a pair of sidewalls disposed between and defining an air passage. The housing has a plurality of air outlets towards the interior of the vehicle, such as air inlet and floor heating, defrost and vent mode. The blower is disposed in the housing to suck air into the housing and pressurize the air through the air passage of the housing. The evaporator is also disposed in the housing to cool the air passing through and the heater core is disposed downstream from the evaporator in the housing. The heater core heats the air passing through it. Furthermore, the treatment apparatus of the present invention further includes a first temperature mixing door disposed in the first bypass passage extending from the air passage of the housing. The first bypass passage is defined between the evaporator and the air outlet of the housing. The first temperature mixing door can pivot about the central portion to move from the closed position to the open position and to stop at an infinite number of positions between the open and close positions. The processing apparatus further includes a shoulder formed in the housing to seal seal with the first end of the first temperature mixing door when the mixing door is in the fully closed position. The shoulder also regulates the air flow rate through the first end of the first temperature mixing door when the mixing door is pivoted toward the fully open position.

The air treatment device also has a second temperature mixing door disposed in the first bypass path of the housing, the second bypass path being defined between the heater core and the evaporator. The first mixing door moves from the closed position to the open position and the first and second temperature mixing doors are operated to move in a co-ordinated motion in a predetermined manner in accordance with the temperature required by the vehicle driver. The processing apparatus of the present invention also includes control means such as an electric motor to move the first and second temperature mixing doors to a predetermined position according to a predetermined method.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the above-described mixing door device has a third temperature interlocked with the second temperature mixing door and disposed adjacent and moving in series with the second temperature mixing door from the first position to the second position or the fully closed position. It has a mixing door. The temperature mixing door device is arranged in a centrally mounted air treatment device disposed about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle with respect to its center line.

It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a properly and efficiently packaged air treatment device that allows for a miniaturized volume of the mixing zone between the air treatment device and the exhaust temperature control device for automotive air conditioners. These and other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the drawings, the description and the claims.

1 shows a perspective view of a centrally mounted air conditioner for an automobile. The centrally mounted air conditioner 10 is designed to be packaged near the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle for application to both left or right handle vehicle. Such a device is shown in more detail in US Pat. No. 5,673,964, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The centrally mounted air conditioner 10 includes an air treatment housing 12 having an upper side 14, a bottom side 16, and a pair of generally flat sidewalls 18. The housing not only includes an air inlet 20 for fresh air or air recirculation but also a plurality of air outlets 22 to direct air into the passenger compartment (not shown) of the vehicle as is known in the art. Include.

As shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, the air conditioner 10 of the present invention draws air through the air inlet and directs the air through an air passage 24 formed through the housing 12. It further includes a blower such as a centrifugal blower (26). The air conditioner also includes an evaporator core 28, which cools the air blown from the blower 26 through the evaporator core 28. The evaporator core 28 is arranged downstream of the blower 26 as shown in FIG. The air conditioner 10 further comprises a heater core 30 adjacent to the evaporator core. The heater core 30 is disposed downstream of the evaporator core 28 and air is warmed through the heater core. However, air passing through the heater core must first pass through the evaporator 28 due to the centrally mounted nature of the air conditioner 10.

In order to condition the air to a suitable temperature as required by the driver of the vehicle, a temperature mixing door device is arranged in the air conditioner 10. The temperature mixing door apparatus will be described in more detail below, and includes a plurality of temperature mixing doors that mix air cooled from the evaporator with air heated from the heater core to provide conditioned air at a selected temperature.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the temperature mixing door device includes a first temperature mixing door 32 disposed in the first bypass passage 34 between the evaporator 28 and the heater core 30. . The first temperature mixing door 32 is almost " S-shaped, " which is generally curved, as shown in FIG. 3, although a generally straight door may be used. The first door 32 pivots about its central axis at its central point 36. As shown in FIG. 3, the first temperature mixing door 32 is shown in solid line when all air passing through the evaporator 28 is in a fully closed position to direct it through the heater core 30. The first temperature mixing door 32 of the imaginary line is in a position to allow complete cooling so that all air passing through the evaporator 28 is directed through the air outlet 22 to the room. The temperature mixing door 32 is made of a known polymer material such as polypropylene or nylon, which is well known in the art.

The first temperature mixing door has a first end 33 seated on a shoulder 40 formed in the housing sidewall 18 of the housing 12. The shoulder 40 is a fairly important part of the present invention. The shoulder 40 is formed to have a radius of curvature approximately equal to the radius of curvature of the mixing door 32. This means that as the first temperature mixing door 32 pivots from the fully closed position shown by the solid line to the open position shown by the phantom line, uncooled air from the evaporator until the mixing door has passed a predetermined angle. To pass through the first end 33 of the first mixing door. The predetermined angle should exceed 5 °, preferably 20 ° or less. This provides a significant important advantage that conventional centrally mounted air conditioners include a fairly short and compact mixing chamber 38 that allows regulated air to pass into the interior of a vehicle cabin. As described below, if cold air from the evaporator enters the mixing passage 38 before receiving warm air from the heater core, the air flowing through the air outlet to the interior vehicle element is warmed from the heater core. It will not be at the temperature selected by the vehicle driver because cooler air is supplied into the air conditioner before mixing it with cold air. Therefore, the shoulder 40 regulates the amount of cold air from the evaporator, which enters the mixing chamber 38 as the first temperature mixing door 32 is opened.

The temperature control device of the present invention includes a pair of second temperature mixing doors 42 and 44. The second temperature mixing doors 42, 44 are disposed in the second bypass passage 46 between the evaporator 28 and the heater core 30. The function of the two mixing doors is to regulate the amount of cooled air passing from the evaporator through the heater core 30. Each mixing door 42, 44 is pivoted about a central axis 48 to open and close the bypass passage 46 for air entering the heater core 30.

The operation of the temperature mixing door device of the present invention takes place in the manner of a coordination. When the vehicle driver selects a predetermined temperature for the interior of the passenger seat as determined by known means such as a temperature gauge or digital selector, the processor causes each of the temperature mixing doors 32, 42 and 44 to generate air at the appropriate temperature. Command the amount of rotation to be exercised. The temperature doors 32, 42 and 44 are co-ordinated in motion so that the temperature doors 42 and 44 move in series according to a predetermined temperature demand. The temperature mixing door moves according to a predetermined method. One example of such a method is shown in FIG. The method requires that the first temperature mixing door 32 and the second and third mixing doors 42 and 44 must be opened and closed a predetermined distance to a predetermined position for the required temperature generated by the air conditioner. Indicates. The processor simply queries the position values of the mixing doors for the temperatures provided in the lookup table, and the motor 50 (see FIG. 1) moves each temperature mixing door to the appropriate position to generate the required temperature. Clearly, methods for determining the location of each temperature mixing door vary with the design and package requirements of each centrally mounted air conditioner. Therefore, there may be a case where there are different adjustment methods for each vehicle, and the present invention should not be limited to the adjustment method shown in FIG.

In operation, blower 26 pressurizes the inlet or recycle air through evaporator 28. The temperature mixing doors 32, 42, and 44 determine the amount of air to be passed to the heater core 30. Air enters chamber 52 while passing through heater core 30. The housing 12 includes a throat section 54 having a predetermined structure. The structure of the neck region of the neck 54 that follows the heated air after passing through the heater core is optimized to provide as efficiently an air flow rate as possible into the mixing chamber 38. Thus, the structure of the neck 54 will be optimized per vehicle package requirement. Air passing through the evaporator 28 passes through the first temperature mixing door 32 and enters the mixing chamber 38 where the hot and cold air is mixed to approach the temperature required by the vehicle driver. Other modes of doors are placed in a position to direct air to a defrost outlet, a temperature controlled vent or floor, as known in the art and shown in US Pat. No. 5,673,964. By providing a mixed door arrangement as described herein, good accuracy can be achieved with respect to the output temperature provided a narrower and shorter package space for the centrally mounted arrangement.

Various other modifications and substitutions of the present invention will naturally occur to those skilled in the art. For example, the position of the mixing door for each and for the heater core and the evaporator will depend on the package space and the outlet position for air exhaust. The scope of the present invention is the following utility model registration claim including all equivalent examples.

According to the present invention described above, it is possible to properly mix cold air and hot air to ensure the correct exhaust temperature of the air from the thermostat, and to provide the correct exhaust temperature air required by the automobile passenger.

Claims (1)

In the vehicle-mounted air treatment device, A blower with a new air inlet, a recirculation inlet and a blower air outlet, An evaporator core disposed downstream of the blower outlet in the housing to receive and cool the effluent air from the blower; A heater core disposed downstream of the evaporator core in the housing to receive and heat cooling air discharged by the evaporator core; A temperature mixing door device disposed between the evaporator core and the heater core in a housing to regulate air flowing through the heater core; The blower air outlet is fluidly connected to the blower to suck in fresh air and recirculated air and to discharge the new air and the recirculated air therethrough, wherein the blower, the evaporator core and the heater core are connected at the center of the vehicle. Disposed along the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle; The mixing door device An S-shaped first temperature mixing door disposed in the first bypass passage and capable of pivoting about the central portion to move from the closed position to the open position; Is formed in the housing to sealingly engage the first end of the first temperature mixing door when the first mixing door is in the fully closed position and to regulate the air flow rate when the first door pivots toward the fully open position, A shoulder having a predetermined shape to regulate air flowing past the first end of the first temperature mixing door until the first temperature mixing door is pivoted more than 5 ° towards the fully open position; A second temperature mixing door disposed in a second bypass passage extending between the heater core and the evaporator core and operative to move from a closed position to an open position; A third temperature mixing door interlocked with the second mixing door and disposed at an adjacent position thereof; An electric motor connected to the first, second and third temperature mixing doors to move the first, second and third temperature mixing doors to a predetermined position according to a predetermined method; The second and third temperature mixing doors can pivot about an axis perpendicular to the direction of air flowing through the housing and defined at a central point of the width of the doors and in series from a first position to a second position. And move the first, second and third temperature mixing doors in a co-ordinated motion according to a predetermined method. Automotive air treatment device, characterized in that.